FAO’s renewed commitment to a hunger-free Horn of Africa

In early February 2012, thanks to good rains and a strong multisectoral humanitarian and development effort, we were able to declare an end to famine conditions in Somalia.

The crisis in Somalia and in the rest of the Horn of Africa, however, is far from over. If we do not sustain our efforts and build on our recent gains, we risk another crisis. In just over a decade, the Horn of Africa has suffered three droughts, followed by severe crises. Each time, the international community agreed that long-term measures were needed to prevent another tragedy. But each time, good intentions were washed away when the rains finally came.

We cannot let history repeat itself.

FAO has renewed its commitment to realizing a hunger-free Horn of Africa by working with the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and local and international partners in the framework of the Comprehensive Africa Development Programme (CAADP) and in nationally – and regionallyled initiatives.

In our interventions we are linking relief and longer-term development; strengthening early warning systems and ensuring they trigger early action; building drought resilience for improved food and nutrition security; contributing to the development and implementation of food security policies; and scaling up successful programmes such as cash-for-work activities that help stimulate local markets and production of smallholder farmers and pastoralists.

We cannot prevent drought, but working together we can prevent drought from becoming famine.